Last time I posted I was avoiding a paper and feeling incredible excited about Emma's rapidly approaching visit. Thursday the 17th was spent in largely the same way. Except, I finished one of the two papers! We weren't entirely sure what time Emma would arrive on Friday. I have class from 10-12 and we thought it would be somewhere in there. Turns out it was sooner! As I was returning from my morning run who should be standing in the lobby but Emma J. Mayer! So exciting! We freaked out a bit and then I had class and then we had coffee and freaked out some more. We hung out with Jess and Stevie for a while and my two worlds collided in the best way possible. It's nice that my friends from different geographic regions could experience each other.
In the afternoon we went to the Tate Modern and wandered around by St.Paul's and the Thames. This is one of my favorite spots that I've experienced in London and Emma really appreciated it as well. It's always satisfying and nice when you're sharing something with someone and it's well received. We decided that we would make a nice dinner and I would work on my paper. We attempted to find a grocery store in the area and in doing so we stumbled on Occupy London. So many people. So many tents. So many signs. A library! So cool to see. This whole movement is amazing; people coming together, peacefully to bring about change. Emma and I were getting a bit emotional as we often will and then something happened that was really angering. At first glance it seemed that a man had almost tripped over one of the tents. And as he kicked a second tent it was clear that he hadn't tripped. Before I could stop myself I said 'are you kidding me?' He turned around and glared, but stalked off, muttering. It's fine if you don't agree with the Occupy movement, but you don't have to something like that. That man was clearly in his fifties. You're an adult, act like one.
We found a Tesco which had everything we needed. We got back to the flat, made dinner and I 'worked on my paper'. It's hard to get any work done when you're excited and it feels like you're on vacation.
We planned on getting up early because our train for Paris left at 8AM. Fortunately there was no need to set my alarm because the fire alarm went off at 5:30. That is something I will not miss about living in a dorm...among other things. We were up and ready to start our weekend in Paris adventure!
When we got to St.Pancras to catch the train I thought that we would have much more time than we ended up having. There's this whole security process that you have to go through. That was not what happened when I went to Scotland so I wasn't expecting it. Good thing we got there early enough. After security we boarded the train. And it was much too early in the morning for my face to be captured on film.
I still hadn't finished my paper so I brought my laptop and worked most of the way through the two hour train ride. It's amazing the amount of writing you can get done when the internet can't be accessed. Fortunately, Emma had no school work to finish and was able to catch a bunch of nice shots of the countryside. I really enjoy traveling by train. It's relaxing and it's great to see the country going past your window.
When we got to Paris we took out some Euros which proved to be much more difficult than it should have been. Money in purses, and metro day passes purchased we headed to our hotel. There were people jamming on the metro, which I really appreciated. We got to our hotel, picked up our room key and conversed a bit with a particularly hilarious employee. There was a spiral staircase, which is always picture worthy. We dropped off our stuff and attempted to plan the rest of the day. The only thing thing that I wanted to do for sure was go to the Louvre. We agreed that we would go there and then make our way to the Eiffel Tower and wherever we made it in between and afterward would just be part of the adventure. We had so little time that we wanted to be as spontaneous as possible, just wander and see what we could see.
We stayed right next to this ancient Roman amphitheater. Apparently gladiatorial events took place here in the 1st century! Also, the weather was absolutely perfect for our entire stay. In fact, the weather has been good to me throughout this European adventure and for that I am incredibly thankful.
We got back on the metro and made it to the Louvre area. Here is a bit of an embarrassing, but amusing admission; it took us forever to figure out how to get inside. Until finally we asked someone and he told us that the entrance was in the pyramid. Right! I totally knew that. The Louvre is huge. There really wasn't enough time to se everything it has to offer, but I really enjoyed everything that we did manage to see. Especially this image of two girls on an epic adventure ; )
And finally I can say that I've seen the Mona Lisa. It's always interesting to see something so iconic because I never quite know what my reaction will be. It's ranged from underwhelmed to disbelief to an inability to speak. This time I was just excited. Her face always has always looked, to me, like she's in on a joke that we aren't. It's a bit eerie. I love it. This is the best shot I could get. I was in the front and everyone and their mom was trying to elbow past me. Because, obviously, waiting isn't an option.
After the Mona Lisa we went where our feet took us and saw a lot of classical, unique, and just cool art. Unfortunately, the Egyptian wing was closed, I'm all about Egyptian art and artifacts. Next time.
I really appreciate museum gift shops. Many of the potential purchases are ridiculously overpriced and insane, but you can also find some true gems. For example, Le Petit Prince for 6 Euros! One of the few books I can successfully read in French. And the exchange rate is better from dollars to euros than dollars to pounds, so I felt a little better about all the purchases that didn't take place in England.
We walked outside and saw the Arc de Triomphe in the distance. The distance from the Louvre is very deceptive. It's a straight shot so it looks like it's a few blocks, but it's really about two miles. Two beautiful, sunset-y miles. The walk took us through the Tuilerie
Garden, and then along the Champs-Elysées.
The Eiffel Tower came into view which, had we not felt like we were in Paris before, made it shockingly evident. There was an outdoor market most of the way between the Louvre and the Arc. It was comforting to see all the people wandering through the streets, going about the their lives. A city alive is one of the most beautiful things.
A crowd was assembled and we were curious. We stopped and got to see these four men break dancing like it was the easiest thing in the world, for about twenty minutes. They were amazing. And clearly having so much fun. They stood on their heads and were up again in one fluid motion. I can't imagine being able to move my body like that.
After marveling at how triumphant the Arc is, we walked to the Eiffel Tower. Which effected Emma more than she thought it would. It's that thing about icons, you just never know. Sometimes they don't even feel real because you've seen them so many times you can't believe you're finally seeing them in reality. I've seen the Eiffel Tower once before, but it's still really cool. I like it a lot. The Seine and the lights are beautiful.
When you stand where we're standing in this picture, get ready for eight thousand people to ask you to take their picture. Which could be annoying, but isn't because it's cool to take a picture of people that you know will be really special to them. It's like you were a part of that moment.
That night was wonderful. After seeing the sites we got back to our hotel and had a successful conversation in French with the man at the desk about where to find vegetarian options.
We stumbled on this little place a few blocks from our hotel that looked inviting and cosy. It was small and the walls were yellow (and covered with pictures) it's vibe reminded me of Pizza Biga which simultaneously made me happy and miss home. Our waiter was lovely, so personable and friendly.
We had a true French meal (mostly) with wine and that lasted for two hours. We had a first course. I had camembert, walnut, spinach, and tomato salad, and Emma had French onion soup. Then our second course was a delicious four cheese pasta. And upon my admittance that I'd never had a banana split our dessert was decided. Such a tasty meal, but so so filling. Beyond taste, we had deep talks and tons of laughs. It was lovely.
The waiter urged us to come back and to bring our friends if they were nice like us. He was adorable.
We walked out of the restaurant and got a little lost, which was more exciting than it probably should have been. It was nice to be lost in Paris and have to work our way out of it. I kept hoping that a car door would open and I would be ushered in by Ernest Hemingway, alas, no 'Midnight in Paris' moments for me. Side note; if you haven't seen that film, it's wonderful. We made it back to the hotel and fell asleep still talking. The best way.
The next morning we got up and checked out. We had a breakfast of croissants and coffee at a little café a few blocks from our hotel and discovered that many things are closed on Sundays. We decided to soldier on and see what we could find. We walked a few more blocks and saw a spire and stained glass window. 'That looks like a cool church' we said. And then realization dawned on both of us that what we were calling a 'cool church' was in fact, Notre Dame.
Such a beautiful building. Regardless of religious affiliation, the architecture has to be appreciated. We appreciated for a good while, both the church and the sun. Close to Notre Dame there were shelves and shelves of books and other potential gifts ; ) We spent a long time working our way through that area. But, I'm always a fan of looking through books at a leisurely pace.
When we got back to London, I was going to finish my paper and then we were going to see Breaking Dawn (because you know...). I looked up the times and saw that there was 10:40 showing. Of course it took a bit longer to finish my paper than my optimistic estimate, but I got it done. And was quite satisfied with it in the end. We walked over to the Genesis Cinema all excited to be girly and geek out over Robert Pattinson for a few hours, but the Cinema was closed. It seems I read the time wrong and the movie was at 8:40, not 10:40. Fail. We then tried to go to Wetherspoon's but they were closing. Strike Two. We decided to just come back to my dorm have epic chats and start fresh in the morning. Success!
We got up on Monday and went to Petticoat Market, very near Brick Lane. It wasn't open yet so we decided to traipse through Brick Lane first. We went in and out of a bunch of vintage stores and ended up with some great purchases. I got three dresses and Emma got some awesome, unique pieces as well.
One of the stores we went to had an in-store cat, which I loved. And at another they were playing Bright Eyes, which I also loved. There's also a ton of great graffiti in that area as well.
After clothes shopping, we went over to Baker Street on the Metropolitan Line, which I hadn't taken until Monday! We went to the Beatles Store and the Sherlock Holmes museum which is located at 221B Baker Street. I have to read those books. Especially after being in London for three months.
The Beatles Store was so full of stuff. They had everything from playing cards to autographed photos (which were going for about £1500). It felt good to be there, surrounded up those four familiar faces and lovely music. The Sherlock Holmes museum also had a good vibe, and when I say 'museum,' I mean, gift shop. We didn't actually go in the museum itself, but the gift shop was great. It was just a turn of the century style house and all the items were worked into the house, it didn't look like a gift shop. All the people working there were also dressed like the time. And the toilets flushed by chain.
After this I had hoped to go to Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, but the sun was already down and it seemed like they were closed. Disappointment.
We did, however, have dinner at Wetherspoon's and Emma ordered us drinks. Which was exciting for all involved. After dinner we successfully made it to Breaking Dawn and it was the cinematic masterpiece we anticipated.
The next morning we woke up at 5:15 and took the tube to Heathrow. Which is a really easy process, reassuring because I will be making the same journey in three weeks (!!!) I saw Emma safely through security and headed back here. On the way back I couldn't stop thinking about how quickly five days had gone by. It was such a lovely weekend but everything is always too fast. The intensity was amplified because before I came to London there were two things I knew that were absolutely, for sure happening; I was going to see Demitri Martin in October and Emma was coming around Thanksgiving. Both of these things have now passed and I can hardly believe how quickly they came and went.
The rest of the week has flown by as it always does. On Tuesday after class, Kelsey and I went to the Whitechapel Gallery. We were supposed to be observing and responding to this Rothko painting that was really nothing more than colors to me. I don't get Rothko, I'm sorry, I just really don't. The gallery was small, but there were some cool sights and the gift shop was nice.
On Wednesday night the crew went to Wetherspoon's for dinner and had an all around good time. And on Thursday, my lecture was cancelled, I scored big time at the Farmer's Market, and Stevie's mom came to visit!
Yesterday, my pals and I put together an incredibly successful Thanksgiving meal. Most of us are vegetarian so we made a Portobello pot pie, which turned out perfectly and I was so proud of it. We also made a chicken, for those among us that eat meat. There was wine, incredibly good yams, mashed potatoes and green beans. And for dessert; Cheesecake and Chocolate Tart. It was just so lovely. The meal took a long time to prepare and to cook, it's nice to be in the kitchen with friends, laughing and talking for hours.
This year, and always I am thankful for so much, but mainly, for this incredibly amazing life that allows me to do simple and fantastic things independently and with all the beautiful, wonderful individuals that I am lucky enough to call friends (and family) and to be able to see the world from such varied vantage points. And you, whoever you are, reading this right now, thank you so much for being in my life. Thank you for everything.
When we got to Paris we took out some Euros which proved to be much more difficult than it should have been. Money in purses, and metro day passes purchased we headed to our hotel. There were people jamming on the metro, which I really appreciated. We got to our hotel, picked up our room key and conversed a bit with a particularly hilarious employee. There was a spiral staircase, which is always picture worthy. We dropped off our stuff and attempted to plan the rest of the day. The only thing thing that I wanted to do for sure was go to the Louvre. We agreed that we would go there and then make our way to the Eiffel Tower and wherever we made it in between and afterward would just be part of the adventure. We had so little time that we wanted to be as spontaneous as possible, just wander and see what we could see.
We got back on the metro and made it to the Louvre area. Here is a bit of an embarrassing, but amusing admission; it took us forever to figure out how to get inside. Until finally we asked someone and he told us that the entrance was in the pyramid. Right! I totally knew that. The Louvre is huge. There really wasn't enough time to se everything it has to offer, but I really enjoyed everything that we did manage to see. Especially this image of two girls on an epic adventure ; )
And finally I can say that I've seen the Mona Lisa. It's always interesting to see something so iconic because I never quite know what my reaction will be. It's ranged from underwhelmed to disbelief to an inability to speak. This time I was just excited. Her face always has always looked, to me, like she's in on a joke that we aren't. It's a bit eerie. I love it. This is the best shot I could get. I was in the front and everyone and their mom was trying to elbow past me. Because, obviously, waiting isn't an option.
After the Mona Lisa we went where our feet took us and saw a lot of classical, unique, and just cool art. Unfortunately, the Egyptian wing was closed, I'm all about Egyptian art and artifacts. Next time.I really appreciate museum gift shops. Many of the potential purchases are ridiculously overpriced and insane, but you can also find some true gems. For example, Le Petit Prince for 6 Euros! One of the few books I can successfully read in French. And the exchange rate is better from dollars to euros than dollars to pounds, so I felt a little better about all the purchases that didn't take place in England.
We walked outside and saw the Arc de Triomphe in the distance. The distance from the Louvre is very deceptive. It's a straight shot so it looks like it's a few blocks, but it's really about two miles. Two beautiful, sunset-y miles. The walk took us through the Tuilerie
The Eiffel Tower came into view which, had we not felt like we were in Paris before, made it shockingly evident. There was an outdoor market most of the way between the Louvre and the Arc. It was comforting to see all the people wandering through the streets, going about the their lives. A city alive is one of the most beautiful things.
A crowd was assembled and we were curious. We stopped and got to see these four men break dancing like it was the easiest thing in the world, for about twenty minutes. They were amazing. And clearly having so much fun. They stood on their heads and were up again in one fluid motion. I can't imagine being able to move my body like that.
After marveling at how triumphant the Arc is, we walked to the Eiffel Tower. Which effected Emma more than she thought it would. It's that thing about icons, you just never know. Sometimes they don't even feel real because you've seen them so many times you can't believe you're finally seeing them in reality. I've seen the Eiffel Tower once before, but it's still really cool. I like it a lot. The Seine and the lights are beautiful.
When you stand where we're standing in this picture, get ready for eight thousand people to ask you to take their picture. Which could be annoying, but isn't because it's cool to take a picture of people that you know will be really special to them. It's like you were a part of that moment.
That night was wonderful. After seeing the sites we got back to our hotel and had a successful conversation in French with the man at the desk about where to find vegetarian options.
We stumbled on this little place a few blocks from our hotel that looked inviting and cosy. It was small and the walls were yellow (and covered with pictures) it's vibe reminded me of Pizza Biga which simultaneously made me happy and miss home. Our waiter was lovely, so personable and friendly.
We had a true French meal (mostly) with wine and that lasted for two hours. We had a first course. I had camembert, walnut, spinach, and tomato salad, and Emma had French onion soup. Then our second course was a delicious four cheese pasta. And upon my admittance that I'd never had a banana split our dessert was decided. Such a tasty meal, but so so filling. Beyond taste, we had deep talks and tons of laughs. It was lovely.
We walked out of the restaurant and got a little lost, which was more exciting than it probably should have been. It was nice to be lost in Paris and have to work our way out of it. I kept hoping that a car door would open and I would be ushered in by Ernest Hemingway, alas, no 'Midnight in Paris' moments for me. Side note; if you haven't seen that film, it's wonderful. We made it back to the hotel and fell asleep still talking. The best way.
Such a beautiful building. Regardless of religious affiliation, the architecture has to be appreciated. We appreciated for a good while, both the church and the sun. Close to Notre Dame there were shelves and shelves of books and other potential gifts ; ) We spent a long time working our way through that area. But, I'm always a fan of looking through books at a leisurely pace.
When we got back to London, I was going to finish my paper and then we were going to see Breaking Dawn (because you know...). I looked up the times and saw that there was 10:40 showing. Of course it took a bit longer to finish my paper than my optimistic estimate, but I got it done. And was quite satisfied with it in the end. We walked over to the Genesis Cinema all excited to be girly and geek out over Robert Pattinson for a few hours, but the Cinema was closed. It seems I read the time wrong and the movie was at 8:40, not 10:40. Fail. We then tried to go to Wetherspoon's but they were closing. Strike Two. We decided to just come back to my dorm have epic chats and start fresh in the morning. Success!
We got up on Monday and went to Petticoat Market, very near Brick Lane. It wasn't open yet so we decided to traipse through Brick Lane first. We went in and out of a bunch of vintage stores and ended up with some great purchases. I got three dresses and Emma got some awesome, unique pieces as well.
One of the stores we went to had an in-store cat, which I loved. And at another they were playing Bright Eyes, which I also loved. There's also a ton of great graffiti in that area as well.
After clothes shopping, we went over to Baker Street on the Metropolitan Line, which I hadn't taken until Monday! We went to the Beatles Store and the Sherlock Holmes museum which is located at 221B Baker Street. I have to read those books. Especially after being in London for three months.
The Beatles Store was so full of stuff. They had everything from playing cards to autographed photos (which were going for about £1500). It felt good to be there, surrounded up those four familiar faces and lovely music. The Sherlock Holmes museum also had a good vibe, and when I say 'museum,' I mean, gift shop. We didn't actually go in the museum itself, but the gift shop was great. It was just a turn of the century style house and all the items were worked into the house, it didn't look like a gift shop. All the people working there were also dressed like the time. And the toilets flushed by chain.
After this I had hoped to go to Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, but the sun was already down and it seemed like they were closed. Disappointment.
We did, however, have dinner at Wetherspoon's and Emma ordered us drinks. Which was exciting for all involved. After dinner we successfully made it to Breaking Dawn and it was the cinematic masterpiece we anticipated.
The next morning we woke up at 5:15 and took the tube to Heathrow. Which is a really easy process, reassuring because I will be making the same journey in three weeks (!!!) I saw Emma safely through security and headed back here. On the way back I couldn't stop thinking about how quickly five days had gone by. It was such a lovely weekend but everything is always too fast. The intensity was amplified because before I came to London there were two things I knew that were absolutely, for sure happening; I was going to see Demitri Martin in October and Emma was coming around Thanksgiving. Both of these things have now passed and I can hardly believe how quickly they came and went.
The rest of the week has flown by as it always does. On Tuesday after class, Kelsey and I went to the Whitechapel Gallery. We were supposed to be observing and responding to this Rothko painting that was really nothing more than colors to me. I don't get Rothko, I'm sorry, I just really don't. The gallery was small, but there were some cool sights and the gift shop was nice.
On Wednesday night the crew went to Wetherspoon's for dinner and had an all around good time. And on Thursday, my lecture was cancelled, I scored big time at the Farmer's Market, and Stevie's mom came to visit!
Yesterday, my pals and I put together an incredibly successful Thanksgiving meal. Most of us are vegetarian so we made a Portobello pot pie, which turned out perfectly and I was so proud of it. We also made a chicken, for those among us that eat meat. There was wine, incredibly good yams, mashed potatoes and green beans. And for dessert; Cheesecake and Chocolate Tart. It was just so lovely. The meal took a long time to prepare and to cook, it's nice to be in the kitchen with friends, laughing and talking for hours.
This year, and always I am thankful for so much, but mainly, for this incredibly amazing life that allows me to do simple and fantastic things independently and with all the beautiful, wonderful individuals that I am lucky enough to call friends (and family) and to be able to see the world from such varied vantage points. And you, whoever you are, reading this right now, thank you so much for being in my life. Thank you for everything.
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